top of page

Space Systems Material Degradation Simulation

SSF / SpaceWerX Validated | Physics-Informed Degradation Engine | Karax K-Suite

🛰️ Validated on Space Programs (SpaceWerX / U.S. Space Force) 

✅ Combined Radiation + Vacuum + Thermal Modeling

⏱ 15-Year Mission Life Simulation in 35 Days

K-Suite: Complete Polymer Aging Prediction Software

polymer aging software, Rubber fatigue prediction, stress relaxation, mechanical degradation

K-LOAD

Mechanical Simulation after Aging+Fatigue

Predict long-term mechanical performance of polymers, rubbers, plastics, and composites.

- Simultaneous  effect of multiple damages

- Simulate fatigue,  corrosion and aging with thermal, radiation, moisture, chemicals
- Predict stiffness, strength, &  deformation
- Reduce qualification testing by up to 80%

K-EXTREME

Extreme Environment Material Simulation

K-EXTREME

Predict Behavior at EXTREME Events

Predict property loss, and survivability of polymers, composites, rubbers exposed to extreme environments.
HPHT wells and geothermal systems
Fire, explosion, and thermal events
Post-event durability assessment
Survivability Index™ prediction 

failure prediction software, remaining useful life, durability prediction

K-FAIL

Failure Prediction & Remaining Useful Life

Predict  when materials and components will fail in real operating environments. 
Forecast remaining useful life (RUL)
Predict strength, elongation, and failure properties
Extrapolate accelerated test results to field conditions
Support maintenance & risk-based decisions

Screenshot 2026-06-14 at 16-08-10 flash

K-Flash

Rapid Event & Ultra-Fast Reaction Simulation

Model fast material transformations that occur in seconds rather than years.
Frontal polymerization simulation
Pyrolysis and thermal decomposition
Ablation and thermal protection systems
Reactive material and curing processes 
Temperature gradient through material

K-SENSE condition monitoring, spectral analysis, polymer inspection, digital twin

K-SENSE

Condition monitoring by RGB/IR Images

Assess material condition using RGB, IR, spectral, and sensor data.


Remote aging assessment from images

Predicting aging condition
Remote condition monitoring of polymers 
Non-contact material characterization
Supports predictive maintenance programs

K-NDE

Digital NDE for Aging Cables & Infrastructure

K-NDE

Ultrasonic Inspection & Digital NDE 

Transform Ultrasonic measurements into aging assessment & remaining useful life.
 

 FDR and TDR signal interpretation
Ultrasonic inspection analytics
Cable aging and degradation assessment
Remaining useful life prediction

Polymer Aging & Durability Simulation Software, Validated by Real-World Data

Frame 2147227586 (3).png

CNPC oil-well sealant trials

Frame 2147227587 (1).png

Lab measurements validated

Frame 2147227588.png

K-Suite vs. traditional test

Frame 2147227589.png

vs. Arrhenius-only methods

“In CNPC oil-well trials, K-Suite predicted 5-year sealant degradation with 95% accuracy — replacing a 6-month/$180K physical test.”
Scientific basis: Dargazany et al., “A network evolution model for the anisotropic Mullins effect in carbon black filled rubbers,” International Journal of Solids and Structures, 2012.

The Space Materials Problem

Spacecraft materials operate under a set of simultaneous stressors that no physical test protocol on earth can fully replicate:

Hard vacuum — outgassing strips plasticizers from DuPont Kapton polyimide tapes, Dow Corning RTV 566 sealant, and cable jacket materials; dimensional change compromises sealing and optical alignment

Ionizing radiation — Van Allen belt proton and electron flux causes chain scission in DuPont Vespel SP-1 structural parts, Chemours Teflon PTFE cable insulation, and epoxy PCB encapsulants; total ionizing dose (TID) models from SPENVIS or AE8/AP8 predict the dose profile, but not what it does to the material over 10 years

Thermal cycling — LEO satellites experience -180°C to +150°C swings every 90 minutes; a silicone bond that passes thermal shock testing at beginning-of-life may fracture at year 7 under accumulated fatigue

Atomic oxygen erosion — in LEO below 700km, atomic oxygen erodes exposed polymer surfaces at rates that depend on material reactivity, orbit inclination, and solar cycle activity

Launch vibration and acoustic loading — structural adhesives and potting compounds that survive qualification vibration testing degrade differently when vibration combines with radiation history

How K-Suite Solves Spacecraft Material Degradation

Vacuum & Space Aging

K-Load models outgassing-driven property loss in DuPont Kapton HN polyimide, Dow Corning RTV silicones, and thermoplastic cable jacketing materials. Plasticizer migration under vacuum, dimensional instability, and optical property drift are modeled as functions of vacuum level, temperature, and time.

Radiation Aging

Input your mission orbit's TID profile (from SPENVIS, OMERE, or AE8/AP8 data) and receive predicted tensile, elongation, and dielectric property degradation in DuPont Vespel SP-1, Chemours Teflon PTFE, silicone elastomers, and epoxy-based encapsulants over mission life. The model runs dose-rate-corrected kinetics — not simple linear dose extrapolation.

Combined Thermal + Radiation

The synergistic combination is the actual space condition: thermal cycling and radiation exposure happen simultaneously in orbit. K-Load models the coupled degradation pathways — which produce faster property loss than either stressor modeled alone, consistent with published accelerated aging data on spacecraft polymer systems.

UV and Surface Degradation

Models photo-oxidative erosion of external surfaces: Kapton/Mylar multi-layer insulation (MLI), optical solar reflectors, white thermal control coatings, and exposed cable jacket materials. Combines UV flux data with atomic oxygen reactivity coefficients for external surface predictions.

Validation — USSF / SpaceWerX Validated

K-Suite has been validated on space programs through the SpaceWerX accelerator and the U.S. Space Force innovation ecosystem. Across polymer families validated under multiple combined environments, K-Load achieves 95% improvement in 5-year degradation prediction accuracy over standard Arrhenius single-stressor extrapolation.

 

The physics engine accuracy is consistent across material classes — elastomers, thermosets, and thermoplastics — making it applicable across the full spacecraft material stack from structural adhesives to cable insulation.

 

Program-specific data is available under NDA for qualified spacecraft OEMs, satellite integrators, and space subsystem suppliers.

Space Systems Applications
195749_e88ff391d564409f9de37f54d91f33dc~mv2.avif

Electronic Packaging & PCB Encapsulants

Predict life of Namics FC-7451 glob-top, Henkel Ablestik potting compounds, and flip-chip underfill under combined radiation TID and thermal cycling in LEO and GEO satellites.

Defense material survivability and reliability simulation

Harness & Cable Insulation

Life prediction for Chemours Teflon PTFE, DuPont Kapton-insulated wire, and radiation-hardened cable assemblies under combined TID and thermal environment over 10–15 year mission life.

HPHT elastomer and seal aging simulation

MLI and Optical Solar Reflectors

Predict optical property drift in Kapton/Mylar MLI stacks and optical solar reflectors — critical for thermal balance modeling at mission-life end.

Aerospace polymer aging and durability simulation

Model mechanical compliance and thermal conductivity retention of Shin-Etsu X-23-7921 pads and Dow Corning TC-5026 phase-change materials under vacuum outgassing and 5,000+ thermal cycles.

Nuclear cable aging and condition monitoring

Structural Adhesives & Secondary Bonds

Model joint strength retention in Henkel EA 9394 and 3M AF163-2 bonded composite panels under thermal shock and accumulated radiation dose.

Battery material aging and durability analysis

O-rings and Vacuum Seals

Life prediction for Parker FKM and silicone vacuum seals in propulsion system valves and pressurized compartment interfaces under combined radiation embrittlement and thermal cycling.

What You Get

Mission-length degradation profile — material properties year-by-year over 5, 10, or 15-year mission life under your specific orbit (LEO 400km, GEO, polar, HEO, or custom)

Multi-stressor combined output — simultaneous radiation + thermal + vacuum degradation, not sequential single-factor extrapolation

SPENVIS-compatible dose input — import TID and fluence profiles directly from SPENVIS or OMERE orbit environment models

Trade study output — compare DuPont Vespel, Torlon PAI, and Ultem under identical mission profiles; ranked by predicted life at mission end

Accelerated test protocol — K-Suite designs the ground test sequence that best replicates 10 years of space exposure in 35 days

Standards Compatibility

ECSS-Q-ST-70 (ESA spacecraft product assurance), NASA-STD-6016 (materials and processes requirements), MIL-STD-1540 (test requirements for space vehicles), ASTM F1980 (accelerated aging — applicable to space polymer qualification), ASTM E595 (total mass loss / outgassing standard), NASA GSFC-STD-7000 (GEVS — general environmental verification standard).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q - Can K-Load use radiation environment data from SPENVIS for spacecraft?

A - Yes. K-Load accepts total ionizing dose (TID) profiles from SPENVIS, OMERE, or any orbit environment model. You can import SPENVIS output directly or provide dose-rate data from your mission's radiation environment analysis. K-Load maps the dose profile to material property degradation over mission duration with dose-rate-corrected kinetics.

 

Q - Does K-Suite model the combined effect of atomic oxygen and UV on external spacecraft surfaces?

A - K-Suite models UV photo-oxidative surface degradation and includes atomic oxygen reactivity coefficients as material-specific parameters. For polymer films like Kapton and Mylar with published AO yield data, the combined surface erosion prediction is directly applicable. For novel formulations without published AO yield data, we recommend a short AO exposure test to provide the yield parameter.

 

Q - How does K-Suite compare to Thermal Desktop for spacecraft material modeling?

Thermal Desktop models heat transfer through spacecraft structure. K-Suite models how the polymer materials themselves change over the mission — degrading their thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. The two are complementary: K-Suite outputs aged material property values that can be fed into Thermal Desktop to simulate thermal performance at mission-life end, not just beginning-of-life.

Works with Your Existing Engineering Stack

ANSYS Marketplace

Coming Q3 2026

MSC Software

Compatible

Abaqus / FEA

Compatible

Python / REST API

Developer access

Start your 30-day free trial.
No credit card. No commitment. Replace your next aging test with a digital twin.

ChatGPT Image Mar 26, 2026, 09_42_34 PM.png

Start Predicting. Stop Guessing.

> Know whether your polymer will survive its full service life — before you build a single prototype.

> 80,000+ tests behind every prediction. Upload your material card → result in 24 hours.

30-day free trial. No credit card. No FEA expertise required.

bottom of page